Teenage Mental Health Alert: Recognizing Signs and Seeking Help

Let’s talk about how to know if your teenager is facing more than just regular teenage problems. Adolescence is a time of big changes, both in the body and mind.

Most teens go through it just fine, but some may have serious emotional or mental issues that aren’t easy to see. It’s crucial for parents and guardians to pay attention to signs that something might be wrong.

Dr. Pramit Rastogi, who’s an expert in child and teen mental health, says that teenagers often do things that parents find confusing.

But a lot of it is because their brains are still developing. During this time, they’re learning how to make choices like adults. Sometimes, they make mistakes that parents might call “irresponsible” or “immature.”

This happens because they haven’t fully learned how to handle everything. But when these mistakes start to really affect their school, social life, or how they feel about themselves, it’s important to understand why.

Dr. Pramit also shared some important signs to watch out for:

Table of Contents

Understanding the Teenage Brain:

Teens might not want to study subjects they find boring.
They could struggle with deciding between different things, like going to a party the night before an important test.
Sometimes, they might lie or not take responsibility for what they’ve done, but they might admit it when they’re caught.
Doing chores at home might be a real struggle.
They might be secretive about their online life but share their problems when they’re upset.
They might try really hard to fit in with their friends, even if they don’t like what they’re doing.

Early Signs:

If your teen is protected too much or isn’t held accountable for their actions at home, that can be a problem.
Low self-esteem might lead to them making bad choices that go against the rules at home or the law.
Some teens might have trouble controlling their impulses because of how their brains are wired.
You might notice that they’re not interested in school, and they might get reminders about problems from their school.
Parents might feel like they’re working harder than their child to get into college.
They might lie more often, which can lead to trust issues and conflicts at home.
Teens might have a hard time making friends or they might have intense but short-lived friendships.

At this stage, it’s important for parents to be understanding and open to talking with their child about what they’re going through. It’s best not to use labels like “pathological liar” or “untrustworthy” because this can make things worse.

Recognizing the Red Flags:

Problems with taking responsibility don’t happen suddenly; they build up over time. What might have started as small issues can turn into big ones. This can happen because of existing problems like overprotection, low self-esteem, or how their brains work. You might notice things like:

Serious problems at school, like missing exams, not showing up, or getting in trouble.
A breakdown in the relationship between parents and their teen, especially about things like screens, sleep, or rules at home.
The school taking serious action, like suspending or expelling your child.
Your teen taking a gap year after high school because they didn’t plan for college.
Risky behavior like stealing, fighting, or using bad language, and they don’t take responsibility for it.

In these situations, it’s crucial to get professional help.

This can include understanding the problem from childhood to adolescence, working with your child and family on strategies and support, and sometimes using medication or tests to find out more.

It’s important to be patient and support your child through their struggles.